Beauty And The Freak
by CosmiQuorraHolmes
Summary: Who could learn to love...a Freak? After being transformed into a hated monster of a man, light arrives in Sherlock's dark world. Sherlolly Beauty and the Beast AU, rating may change due to language and themes.
1. Prologue

**A/N: Hello, strangers! I have returned with an idea that should quench the thirst for fic in the _TDaHLQ _hiatus. It's a Sherlolly (yey!) _Beauty and the Beast_ AU thing, so read on! As ever, feel free to review, fave and follow. Ideas are welcome! Toodles, my lovelies!**

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><p><strong>Casting:<strong>

Benedict Cumberbatch as **'The Freak'/Sherlock** **Holmes**  
>Louise Brealey as <strong>Molly Hooper<strong>  
>Lara Pulver as the <strong>Enchantress<strong>  
>Various other characters as themselves<p>

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><p>Once upon a time, but not too long ago, a rich young man lived in his manor in the countryside. He was born with intelligence and bravery in his mind and with ice and contempt in his heart. His brother gave him everything he desired while he showed off his intellect for the world to see.<p>

One day, a woman came to the young man's house with a sword and a problem that needed to be solved in return for a night away from the bitter rain. Solving her problem quickly, he cast her away without a second glance. But she warned him against it, for complexity is found within. When he pushed her away a second time, her rugged, drenched appearance melted away to reveal a beautiful, smart enchantress.

The young man now could not read her and asked for forgiveness, but she had already seen the hatred in his heart. And as punishment, she transformed him into a hideous, despised monster of a man, and placed a terrible spell over the manor and the staff who lived there. Ashamed and angered by his new form, he concealed himself inside the manor, with only a telescope to see the town nearby. The sword she had given him was truly an enchanted sword that would shine for many years.

If the young man could learn to love another, and earn her love in return by the time that the last speck of iron rusted, the spell would be broken. If not, then he would remain in this form for all time. As time passed, he fell into despair, and lost all hope, for who could learn to love...a _Freak_?


	2. Prologue ii

Molly Hooper was strange. Of course, being the daughter of the town loon didn't make it hard to call her that. She was different from everyone in the English country town; she read and she didn't care about how she looked. Every batchelor within five miles wanted to marry her and would fight for her hand, if it ever came to it. She was _that _beautiful. Long, mousey brown hair that fell down between her shoulder blades accompanied by wide, chocolate eyes and a frail figure made her an irresistible prize.

She was a good friend of Detective Inspector Lestrade, working with him very often and very well. If no one in his own police force could figure it out, Miss Molly Hooper would have the answer. She looked and it was there. But this was only the second most unusual thing about her.

She cut up bodies for fun. No joke.

That was the way that she helped Lestrade the most. Mysterious death? Just ask her and she'll do a full autopsy to tell you what happened. She was a weird one, that girl. Domesticity would be good for her. It would calm her down enough to raise a child. Even her father thought so. Her work was frowned upon, as was the reading; a girl shouldn't be smarter than her husband, let alone think.

Molly had read since she was in her teens, from brilliant classics like_ Great Expectations_ to crappy vampire romances like _Twilight. _She enjoyed fairy tales, too, stories about princesses and dragons and knights in shining armour. Morals were important to her and her life was ruled by them. She read to the children who lived nearby and occasionally even to the corpses in the morgue.

She'd talk to them, sometimes, pointing out where the characters meet and how their relationships change and bloom while wishing it would happen to her. But Molly's life was ordinary.

Oh, was she in for a surprise.


End file.
